Mouth cancer is one of the UK’s fastest increasing cancers, with cases of oral cancer in the UK up by more than 50% in the last decade alone. While many cases are linked to lifestyle choices such as smoking, drinking, poor diet and sexual activity, it is important to remember that mouth cancer could affect anybody.

Every dental and hygiene consultation commences with an extra-oral and intra-oral examination, evaluated in conjunction with your medical history and lifestyle, to determine whether you are at risk of mouth cancer.

Sadly, this is largely due to too many patients being diagnosed at a late stage. Early detection results in a survival outcome of 90%, but delayed diagnosis means survival rates plummet to as little as 50%.

Many teeth-grinders aren’t even aware they’re doing it, and are baffled by what seems like unrelated symptoms in the daytime. Although 80% of teeth grinding happens at night, when you’re not even aware you’re doing it, the symptoms are present during the day.For some, simply clenching your teeth unknowingly can be common effect.

Simply managing the symptoms won’t solve the underlying problem. Bruxism can lead to serious dental health issues such as worn or broken teeth requiring fillings or crowns, loose teeth (and even tooth loss), as well as further pain and discomfort that might not be as easily remedied.

To help stop you grinding your teeth we can consider pain-free, non-invasive treatment, during your dental consultation.

Being told you’re a teeth grinder is often a surprise but it needn’t be a bad one. After all, it’s relatively easy to remedy, so if you have any doubts why not come in and let us check you out?Call us on 01689 862416.

If you’ve ruled out other causes, you might be suffering from obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Many of those with OSA aren’t even aware of it, but it can have a devastating impact on your sleep and, subsequently, on your energy levels, concentration, mood and general health.

While we’re awake, we have sufficient muscle tone to keep our airways open and allow for normal breathing. For people with sleep apnoea, the tissues in your neck collapse during sleep, effectively cutting off your breathing for short periods of time. When this happens, your brain automatically wakes you up, usually with a loud snore or jolting snort, in order to get you to breathe again. A person with OSA often experiences several of these wakening episodes during the night, though they often don’t remember them, and consequently feels very sleepy (more than just ‘tired’) during the day.

(Their partner may also be affected!)

If you experience any of the above symptoms, it’s best to get checked out by your GP. If all medical causes are ruled out, they may suggest you come and speak with your dentist about having a MAD, or bespoke mouth guard, fitted.

Mandibular advancement devices are mouth guards made of plastic and crafted to fit comfortably in your mouth and hold the lower jaw and tongue forward while you sleep. This makes more space for you to breathe, thereby helping to prevent sleep apnoea and also snoring. At The DenCare Clinic, we can take an impression of your mouth to make your MAD bespoke to you, which results in a much better, more effective and more comfortable fit than buying one over the counter or on the internet.

Please note that if you have false or uneven teeth, gum disease or tempro-mandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ / teeth grinding), your solution might be slightly more complicated, but don’t fear! Simply discuss it with us so we can try to help you.

Being told you have OSA is often a surprise, but the good news is that it’s generally quite easy to remedy with a bespoke MAD mouth guard from The DenCare Clinic.

If you have any doubts, simply give us a call or come in and let us have a look. We’ll do our best to get you sorted and back on the next train to dreamland!